Golf training and practice method and aid

ABSTRACT

A training and practice aid for golfers may include extendable arms which may be attached to a shaft of a golf club. A golfer may look down at the arms and visualize an imaginary line on the ground. The imaginary line may be used to aim a club and provide a guide for foot positioning of the golfer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to golf equipment and more particularly to golf training and practice aids.

Every beginning golfer may experience difficulty in distinguishing angles at address to a target, especially when putting. For example, children may find it particularly difficult to grasp the mechanics of putting. Children typically have not developed depth perception, angle comprehension or the ability to tell whether their feet are not “square” to a putter face, shoulder width apart, parallel to a target line or even if their aim is well off target. Many beginning adults experience the same problems. Adults may quickly comprehend that their feet need to be “square” to the putter face, shoulder width apart, and that their aim is or is not to the intended target. In contrast, children must learn these abilities by experience. It may take children years to develop this understanding.

It may be seen that there is a need for a training or practice aid that will help beginning golfers, particularly children, to understand direction and alignment and learn to correct their mistakes immediately.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a golf training aid for attachment to a shaft of a golf club may comprise at least one extendable arm and a clamp for supporting the at least one arm on the shaft.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method for training a golfer to perform putting may comprise the steps of: providing a trainee with a training aid that is attached to a golf club and projects an imaginary line, perpendicular to face of the club, on the ground; allowing the trainee to orient the imaginary line so that it is parallel to a target line between a ball and a hole; advising the trainee to look down at the imaginary line and then put his or her toes on the imaginary line thus insuring a stance perpendicular to the putter face; and allowing the trainee to instantly correct misalignment.

In still another aspect of the invention, a method for training a golfer to perform approach shots may comprise the steps of: providing a trainee with a training aid that is attached to a golf club and projects an imaginary line that it is parallel to a target line between a ball and a hole; advising a trainee to address a ball, in a conventional manner, for an approach shot; and advising the trainee to activate the training aid to determine the accuracy of the trainee's aim.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are various external views of a golf training aid in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views of the golf training aid in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the golf training aid in use in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the golf training aid in use in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 are various external views of an alternate embodiment of a golf training aid in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a training aid which may be attached to a golf club to help beginning golfers, particularly children, to understand direction and alignment. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 6, it may be seen that a golf training aid 10 may comprise arms 12 and a housing 14 which may be attached to a shaft 30 of a golf club (e.g., a putter). The training aid 10 may also comprise a snap-attachment mount clip 16, an upper housing plate 18, a lower housing plate 20, arm pivot slots 22, arm pivot pins 24, pivot-lock holes 26, and locking pins 28. The arms 12 may be extendable into a configuration in which axes of the arms 12 are perpendicular to a face of the golf club and parallel to a surface of the ground.

The training aid 10 may be attached to the shaft 30 by pressing the housing 14 onto the shaft 30 so that the snap-attachment mount clip 16 engages the shaft 30. The training aid 10 may be moved up or down the shaft 30 to accommodate golfer's size and address. Every golfer may have their own specific height to clamp the training aid to the shaft 30. A specific location may be marked for future use and practice. The training aid 10 may secured to the shaft 30 upside down if the arms 12 interfere with the ground, or right side up if the arms 12 interfere with a golfer's hands or grip.

In exemplary putting-practice operation, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, one of the arms 12 may be opened so that the open arm 12 may provide a golfer with an opportunity to visualize an imaginary line 46A projected onto the ground under the arm 12. Upon addressing a ball 42, the shaft 30 of a putter may be positioned vertically. The open arm 12 may be oriented or aimed so that the line 46A aligns with a ball 42 and a cup 44. Either one of the arms 12 may be used to point at the cup 44 depending on whether the training aid 10 is used by a left-handed golfer or a right-handed golfer. After the line 46 is properly aimed, the golfer may pull shaft 30 of the club back into stroking position while leaving the club head in its aimed orientation. Then both of the arms 12 may be opened so that an imaginary line 46B may be projected onto a location at fronts of the golfer's feet. The arms 12 may have a length (about 12 to about 16 inches) such that length of the line 46B may be a shoulder width of the golfer.

When a beginning golfer or trainee (e.g., a child) addresses a golf ball to putt, a coach may ask the trainee whether fronts of their feet are aligned to be “square” (i.e., perpendicular) to a putter face; are their feet shoulder width apart; and whether they think they are aiming in the right direction. In other words; is the imaginary line 46B parallel to a path between the ball 42 and the cup 44? The trainee may look down at the open arms 12 and the imaginary line 46B and then put his or her toes on ends of the line 46B thus assuring a perfectly square stance perpendicular to the putter face and also assuring that the feet are shoulder width apart. Thus the trainee may instantly correct misalignment. The arm 12 facing the cup 44 may also shows the trainee where he or she may be actually aiming, thus allowing for recognition of any misjudgment and for an opportunity to correct it immediately. The trainee may practice his or her stroke while the arms 12 are open to determine if the practice putting stroke is good (i.e., straight back, straight forward). A good stroke may create a long straight line while a putting stroke that is not straight back and straight forward may create a broken line.

In another application of the training aid 10 (not shown in the FIGS,) the training aid 10 may be secured on irons and woods and upon addressing a ball golfers can check his or her aim. A forward one of the arms 12 may point in a direction the golfer is aiming. The golfer may correct misalignment immediately. Alternatively, golfers may address a ball for approach shots and/or tee shots then open the arm 12 facing a target to see how his or her judgment and skill may be developing.

In an alternate embodiment of the training aid 10 shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, the arms 12 may be supported with clamp pins 32, a clamp housing 34, a clamp bracket 36 and a mounting knob 38.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A golf training aid for attachment to a shaft of a golf club of a golfer comprising: two extendable arms; and a clamp for supporting the arms on the shaft, the arms being extendable into a configuration in which an axis of the arms is perpendicular to a face of the golf club, is parallel to a surface of the ground, is positioned directly above fronts of feet of the golfer holding the golf club in a ball-addressing position and a combined length of the two arms is equal to a shoulder width of the golfer.
 2. The training aid of claim 1 wherein the clamp includes a snap-attachment mount clip configured to partially surround a shaft of the golf club.
 3. The training aid of claim 1: wherein the clamp includes: clamp pins; a clamp housing; a clamp bracket, and a mounting knob, and wherein the arms are connected to the clamp with the clamp pins and the clamp housing and clamp bracket are held in place on the shaft with the mounting knob. 4-7. (canceled)
 8. A method for training a golfer to perform putting comprising the steps of: providing a trainee with a training aid that is attached to a golf club and projects an imaginary line, perpendicular to face of the club, on the ground; allowing the trainee to orient the imaginary line so that it is parallel to a target line between a ball and a hole; advising the trainee to look down at the imaginary line and then put his or her toes on the imaginary line thus insuring a stance perpendicular to the face of the club; and allowing the trainee to instantly correct misalignment.
 9. The method for training of claim 8 further comprising the step of advising the trainee to place his or her toes on ends of the imaginary line so that his or her feet are shoulder width apart.
 10. (canceled) 